The Flash #76 Deals A Fatal Blow To The Speed Force
by Tony Thornley
One of the key elements of the last seventy-five issues of The Flash has been weaving new mythology into the familiar world of Barry Allen. In this issue, all of that comes crashing down.
Joshua Williamson, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey, and Steve Wands kick off the Death of the Speed Force in this issue.
Barry Allen has returned to Central City, determined to improve the relationships that he wrecked. Part of that is a commitment to Wally and Avery that he’s not going to leave them hanging again, but also a different outlook on his actions. However, none of that will matter if they can’t solve the problem in front of them- thanks to Luthor and Grodd unleashing the Still Force, the Speed Force is dying!
After three years of setting up dominoes, I was thrilled to see Williamson start knocking them down. Everything that happens in this issue was made possible by the wonderful world building Williamson has been doing, not just in the mythological elements of the story, but also in the relationships he built amongst these characters. It’s a thrilling action story, for sure, but it also would not work at all if we didn’t character about these characters and their relationships in the way we do.
Sandoval and Tarragona’s line work is incredibly strong. I love how they convey the speed of the main characters, but their takes on two D-list Rogues- Tar Pit and Girder- shows how strong their work is. One is a giant metal man, and the other is a tar monster, and they show them moving authentic to how these creatures WOULD look. However, at times their Barry is a little too bulky- with more of a weightlifter’s build, and not the runner’s build Barry would have. It’s still strong, just with some hiccups.
Morey’s color work is stunning. He uses fewer gradients and more bright colors on the page, making the colors pop off the page. He also puts some great effects, particularly with the lightning, practically making it actually crackle.
The coming months are definitely going to be difficult for the Flash and his family. If it keeps up with this quality, it’s going to be a great ride.
The Flash #76 is available now from DC Comics.
